The June 22nd World Refugee Day Potluck brought together an incredible mix of donors, sponsors, community partners, and refugee newcomers, who shared delicious food from around the world.

Speakers Elizabeth Wanjau (a refugee newcomer) and Ibrahim Mohebi highlighted how the Private Sponsorship of Refugees (PSR) program strengthens Canada while addressing ongoing challenges and opportunities for improvement.

We were delighted to announce the first recipient of the Ian McBride Humanitarian Award: Laurie-Beth Page. As the founding chair of the refugee support committee at Islington United Church, Laurie-Beth led 22 sponsorships over 25 years, helping bring over 60 refugee newcomers to safety in Canada. You can see her inspiring story in this CBC report about the church’s remarkable work. AURA will formally honor Laurie-Beth at an upcoming event.

Some pictures from the event below.